York's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.
The population reached nearly 200,000
In the decade to 2011, the population of York increased by 9.4%, from about 181,000 to 198,000.
The addition of just under 17,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).
In 2011, York was home to, on average, 5.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.
Population density was higher than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber
Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- York
- Average across England
Average age stable in York
Latest census data also show that the median age of York remained 38 years in the decade to 2011.
This city had a slightly lower average age than Yorkshire and The Humber and became slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).
The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 7,600 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 3,000.
About 17% of people in York are aged between 20 and 29 years
Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and York by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Disability in York
The percentage of York residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.5% to 2.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.
In 2011, just over 1 in 16 (6.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.9% in 2001. The percentage of York residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91%.
The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.
The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- Average across England
More students
York saw Yorkshire and The Humber's second-largest rise in the proportion of students.
In 2011, just over 1 in 18 (5.7%) people aged 16 to 74 in York said they were in education, compared with 3.9% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 54% to 53%.
Across the region, only Sheffield saw a greater rise in the proportion of students (from 3.3% to 5.6%).
Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of students, as the regional average grew from 2.5% to 3.5%.
The percentage of students in York increased by 1.8 percentage points
Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in York, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Changes in family structure
The percentage of households in York with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 8.4% to 8.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.
In 2011, just over one in four (25%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of households in York without children increased from 66% to 67%.
The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (which remained close to 9.3%). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.
The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- York
- Average across England
Changing household dynamics
The percentage of households in York, which comprised one person, decreased from 31% to 30% between the last two censuses.
In 2011, just under one in nine (11%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.8% in 2001. The percentage of households in York which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 36% to 32%.
The proportion of one-person households decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Yorkshire and The Humber. The improvement brought health in York close to the regional average 31% in Yorkshire and The Humber described their health as good in 2011).
The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- York
- Average across England
Area report data
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